Should You Shower With Your Kids? A Psychologist Weighs In on the Debate

Bradley Cooper recently spoke out about a childhood behavior of his that borders on cutesy but unsettling: taking nude baths with his father. This revelation emphasizes the fine line that separates attractive from unsettling.

The actor, 49, revealed during a recent appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert Podcast that his father, Charles, was ‘always nude’ and would ‘take showers with him’ when he was a child. As a result, he feels ‘totally comfortable’ in his birthday suit around his own child, daughter Lea, who is six years old.

Additionally, he admitted to conversing with the child he has with his ex-girlfriend Irina Shayk while he was using the restroom and she was in the bathtub. These revelations have triggered a heated discussion regarding the age at which it is no longer suitable to be nude around children.

On the Today show, a psychiatrist recently addressed the hot topic of the day and advised parents to stop dressing in public when their kids are five years old—a year younger than Bradley Cooper’s daughter.

Do parents and children take showers together? Experts discuss this hotly debated subject in the wake of Bradley Cooper’s admission that he grew up taking naked baths with his father.

The 49-year-old actor revealed on Dax Shepard’s podcast that when he was a child, his father—who was spotted with him in 2010—was “always nude” and would “take showers with him.”

Lea, his six-year-old daughter, and he were reportedly ‘completely comfortable’ in his birthday suit around each other as a result (pictured together in December).

The age at which it is improper to be nude near children has become a hot topic of discussion following his revelations. He was recently spotted with his daughter.

Pediatric psychiatrist Dr. Wendy Lane of the University of Maryland Children’s Hospital emphasized that washing a child with their parent may really aid in their learning when they are young. ‘about personal boundaries.’

She stated to the newspaper, ‘It can be a way to learn accurate names for body parts, explain the physical difference between genders, explain that bodies change while growing up, and teach children about personal boundaries.

‘Letting children know that their bodies are their own is important. No one should be touching their private parts, unless providing assistance with toileting or bathing, if needed, and parents should be aware.’

However, the expert went on to say that when the kid ‘asks for it to stop,’ which she claimed normally happens between the ages of three and five, the act’should always end’.

According to a prior interview with Brightside.me, Dr. Richard Beyer, a psychologist located in California, advised parents to stop bathing their children by the time they are six years old because they “need more privacy and personal space as they grow and develop.”

He continued, saying that taking showers with your kids’may interfere with their capacity to learn’ crucial life skills and personal hygiene, as well as’may cause them discomfort.’

while Dax mentioned to Bradley during their conversation that his family used to go “naked all the time” while he was growing up, the A Star Is Born alum responded, “Me too.”

‘I was like that. Not with my mom but with my dad. My dad was always nude, I always took showers with him.’

‘And now you’re pretty comfortable nude?’ Dax, 49, questioned the celebrity next. In response, he said, “Totally.”

During his “poopy time,” Dax made light of the fact that his two girls, Delta, age nine, and Lincoln, age ten, whom he shares with his wife Kristen Bell, frequently “file in” to the toilet to chat.

‘My bedroom is… the bathtub and toilet and bed are all in the same room,’ Bradley then revealed.

‘It’s 24/7, dude. There are no doors… the stairs go up and it’s all one floor.’

In their conversation, Bradley informed Dax, ‘[Me and my daughter] talk when I’m on the toilet and she’s in the bathtub; that’s the go-to.’ He also confessed, ‘I always took showers with [my dad]’

In December 2021, Chrissy Teigen faced criticism after she revealed that she continued to take baths with her children, Luna, who was five at the time, and Miles, who was three.

Additionally, there was conjecture that President Joe Biden had lavished his daughter Ashley with gifts throughout her early years, after her alleged mention of it in her journal.

He said, “When Dax inquired if his daughter ‘cared’ about the loss of privacy, ‘No. We talk when I’m on the toilet and she’s in the bathtub; that’s sort of the go-to.’

In December 2021, Chrissy Teigen faced criticism after she revealed that she continued to take baths with her children, Miles, who was three at the time, and Luna, who was five.

She shared a photo of herself in the tub with the older two children of John Legend, and it sparked outrage right away.

After Ashley supposedly mentioned it in her diary, there was also conjecture that President Joe Biden had bathed his daughter during her early years.

In a conversation with the Today program, a psychiatrist by the name of Dr. Wendy Lane (pictured) responded to the popular topic by suggesting that parents should cease undressing in front of their children by the time their children are five years old, which is one year younger than Bradley’s daughter.

Ashley had previously lived at a house in Florida, where the notebook was discovered by a lady who later sold it to a far-right activist organization founded by James O’Keefe.

It hasn’t been verified because the diary’s contents were never disclosed, but rumors said Ashley bathed with her father in it when she was younger.

Bronte Towns, an Australian influencer, recently caused a stir on Instagram when she posted a video titled “Why I Shower With My Children.”

Bronte, who has boy-girl twins who are eighteen months old, a two-year-old son, and a seven-year-old son, stated in the post’s description that washing clothes with her children had several advantages, including “saving time and water.”

It was also, she added, a ‘natural approach’ for her to teach her children about ‘biology’ and to ‘appreciate their own bodies.’

‘This is a fabulous way to open up discussions on why some people might choose to keep body hair, or shave it off, have stripes on their tummy, or where body parts are located without big stigma around it,’ she wrote.

‘[I can] normalize everyday bodies, not a stigmatized version most of our kids see all over advertising or online.

‘All bodies change, grow, shrink, get stretch marks, veins, body hair, the list goes on. Instead of only seeing the polished versions they see “normality.”‘

Additionally, she said that the procedure was a “opportunity” for her to “teach” her children about “personal boundaries and consent.”

‘In this situation, questions are great. They’re healthy and they’re necessary for children to ask in order to grow and learn,’ she added.

Influencer Bronte Towns, from Australia, who has boy-girl twins who are eighteen months old, a two-year-old son, and a seven-year-old son, caused controversy lately when she said something similar.

She said that there were several advantages to washing with her children, including that it was a ‘natural approach’ for her to teach them about ‘biology’ and to ‘appreciate their own bodies’.

Additionally, she said that the procedure was a “opportunity” for her to “educate” her children about “personal boundaries and consent.”

‘So many questions pop up naturally when you shower together. We normalize open conversations in the shower, there’s no silly questions, nothing too awkward to ask, etc.

‘It’s a supportive environment where innocent, curious questions can be asked and answered age-appropriately.

‘These things for our children are only normal until we make them not be. Of course there are age appropriate restrictions and whenever they feel uncomfortable or get “too curious” that’s a good indicator that a child has outgrown this routine.’

A heated debate sprang out in the comment area of her article, with some users applauding her and others denouncing the behavior as “disturbing” and “inappropriate.”

Oh no. He’s far too old to be seeing you in your underwear. What’s wrong with you, Tf? Someone penned something.

‘I’m so glad I never saw my mom naked, that would have made for a very awkward disturbing relationship,’ said someone else.

‘I would never ever ever want to see either of my parents naked, nor would I want my two daughters to see me naked. Please don’t normalize this, our society it turning to s**t.’

‘No that’s disturbing,’ added another user. ‘Imagine having memories of your mom’s naked body.’

‘Nope, totally inappropriate,’ read a fourth comment. A fifth pointed out, ‘You can have literally all these conversations without taking a shower with your kids.’

Several comments supported Bronte. “I grew up showering with my mom and was often in the same room as she changed until I was a teen,” a fan said.

I never considered it “weird” or “gross” until I came across blogs like these and the critical responses they received.

‘It’s so normal and knowing what cellulite, stretch marks, and sagging skin looked like at a young age made me feel so much more comfortable in my body when I started to see these things.’

Her tweet sparked a heated debate in the comments, with some calling the behavior “inappropriate” and “disturbing.”

But some commentators supported Bronte and stood by her.

“Families bathing together is common and normal in Japan,” said another commenter. We are the ones that make it strange.

‘These comments are not it. I have European parents, and it was VERY common for me to walk into their bathroom in the morning to see them showering or just freshening up,’ revealed another user.

‘Am I traumatized from that? Absolutely not. Bodies are totally normal. My children see me naked and it also does not phase them.

‘I’ve showered with them. And we’ve taken big luscious family baths together.’

‘It’s sad that everyone thinks such inappropriate things when they see this,’ said a different person.

‘They are your children, and you have every right to help them grow and learn about these important things earlier on.

‘So many people say they are traumatized, but I bet many of them have looked at pornography which is way worse than seeing your parents naked at a young age. I think this is a great thing you’re doing.’

Bronte responded to the criticism by telling Today, “I think it’s very difficult for people to comprehend how it could not be sexual but a normal part of everyday life if they haven’t had children of their own or haven’t grown up with family showers or baths.”

‘When I shower with my children, they barely even notice I’ve got no clothes on because this is a normal practice in our lives, and always has been.’

She remembered being asked once by one of her children, ‘Why are your nipples bigger than dad’s?’ to which she told them. ‘Because mine are designed to feed babies.’

She added, ‘My kids love having family showers and they get super excited playing together in the water.

‘When they’re too old or outgrow it we will have a conversation with them – father to son, mother to daughter.’